I don't know if anyone has addressed this, but it seems to me Rick has pretty much disqualified himself from leadership this entire season. Achilles may have sulked in his tent, but this guy is basically awol indulging his fantasies when his team needs him most, and then he goes and has a rolling-on-the-floor meltdown in front of everyone (after his son had to do the real dirty work). Command 101: don't let your troops perceive you as compromised. This guy has been nothing but. He should learn a lesson from his son and man up.

It was pretty self-explanatory I thought, but if you insist... It doesn't come as much of a shock that a guy who picks the most biased depiction of a dead black teenager killed in a tragic incident possible would find the character of Merle likeable.

I don't care what your opinion on Zimmerman's guilt or innocence is, it shows a complete lack of tact and decency to use that as your avatar. Regardless of your opinion about Trayvon Martin and his role in the incident, a teenage kid is dead. Have some fucking respect and don't trivialize it like that.

ETA: Sorry, Neroon, I was typing this up before you posted. I won't say anything else.

I wouldn't call Merle a coward. He did serve in the military prior to the plaque.

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History has shown that simply having a military record does not automatically absolve one from rightly being called "coward" (among other things) upon committing heinous acts. Although Merle has sided with his brother's group for now, he has his own history of atrocities. It should only be a matter of time before Merle's true nature resurfaces and he'll have to be put down like a rabid dog.

History has shown that simply having a military record does not automatically absolve one from rightly being called "coward" (among other things) upon committing heinous acts.

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Well said. the military is home to many personalities...among them the greedy, cowardly, evil, violent and psychotic.

Although Merle has sided with his brother's group for now, he has his own history of atrocities. It should only be a matter of time before Merle's true nature resurfaces and he'll have to be put down like a rabid dog.

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He's still a racist, and for that reason alone, no one in the group should close their eyes around him, as he already sees a large part of humanity as expendable, or something to disrespect--deadly in a world overrun by zombies.

When I learned that Merle had read the Bible in Woodbury, I recalled the movie "A Clockwork Orange". In that film, Alex is reading the Bible in the prison. To people who see him reading that book, they might think that he is taking the first steps towards imitating Christ. However, in an internal monologue and vision, the audience learns that Alex sees himself as a Roman soldier flogging Christ as he carries the cross.

I think that people who live in the apocalypse must have some degree of courage. I believe that Merle does have courage.

When I learned that Merle had read the Bible in Woodbury, I recalled the movie "A Clockwork Orange". In that film, Alex is reading the Bible in the prison. To people who see him reading that book, they might think that he is taking the first steps towards imitating Christ. However, in an internal monologue and vision, the audience learns that Alex sees himself as a Roman soldier flogging Christ as he carries the cross.

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Assuming that this was the suggestion you were making, I don't think Alex can be considered a great example of a courageous individual, at least not the last time I watched the movie/read the book.

On the way to work this morning I stopped at the gas station and I saw a dog sitting in a pickup truck next to me. I'm not a pet owner so it hadn't occured to me until seeing the dog and rewatching last week's episode last night

But there is a complete lack of animals on the show - other than the walkers eating a stray deer. Not even in Woodbury are there pets. What happened to all of the dogs and cats? Did the zombies eat all of them?

Also seeing the dog this morning it occured to me that trained attack dogs might be a great defense against the zombies

On the way to work this morning I stopped at the gas station and I saw a dog sitting in a pickup truck next to me. I'm not a pet owner so it hadn't occured to me until seeing the dog and rewatching last week's episode last night

But there is a complete lack of animals on the show - other than the walkers eating a stray deer. Not even in Woodbury are there pets. What happened to all of the dogs and cats? Did the zombies eat all of them?

Also seeing the dog this morning it occured to me that trained attack dogs might be a great defense against the zombies

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My guess is as food supplies began running low, domesticated animals like dogs and cats were the first to go. I am sure there were people who were hesitant about eating fluffy, but the need to survive would win out every time.

Plus dogs barking would be like babies crying. It's ringing the dinner bell for walkers.

My guess is as food supplies began running low, domesticated animals like dogs and cats were the first to go. I am sure there were people who were hesitant about eating fluffy, but the need to survive would win out every time.

Plus dogs barking would be like babies crying. It's ringing the dinner bell for walkers.

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Tis true. However, some well trained dogs are trained not to bark and to attack on command. They would be a valuable asset in protecting a group.

real answer is: how often do you see animals on ANY show? Unless there needs to be one, you don't see any. Too many rules about animals working on tv productions, generally not worth it.

in-universe, zombies went after that horse, so imagine they'd have eaten dogs/cats en masse as well. There'd still be a ton of them, though, and probably effective against zombies. the advantages they provide would be worth the noise for the most part. Turned out pretty useful in WWZ.

Only concern is whether the magical disease we know nothing about is transmitable to dogs, or if it's strictly human. We haven't seen any zombified animals yet. But if a dog's main weapon is his jaw, and biting caused infection, could see people actively killing dogs and cats to avoid having to also deal with zombified predators as well as actual walkers.

real answer is: how often do you see animals on ANY show? Unless there needs to be one, you don't see any. Too many rules about animals working on tv productions, generally not worth it.

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Eddie, Frasier. Every episode.

in-universe, zombies went after that horse, so imagine they'd have eaten dogs/cats en masse as well. There'd still be a ton of them, though, and probably effective against zombies. the advantages they provide would be worth the noise for the most part. Turned out pretty useful in WWZ.

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Excatly. They can be trained predators.

Only concern is whether the magical disease we know nothing about is transmitable to dogs, or if it's strictly human. We haven't seen any zombified animals yet. But if a dog's main weapon is his jaw, and biting caused infection, could see people actively killing dogs and cats to avoid having to also deal with zombified predators as well as actual walkers.

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Yea, the show is silent on if any other mammal other than humans can get the disease.

I don't know if people are thinking through a dog versus walker battle.

Typically, a canine's attack is designed around causing enough damage that the victim weakens due to a loss of blood. Also, when a person is attacked by a dog, most of the victim's efforts are defensive, in trying to block the attack in some way.

A walker, on the other hand, will not take a defensive stance. Since we have seen them eat a horse, we can assume they will eat a dog should they get a hold of one. So a dog attacking a walker will meet an active attack.

The walker will try to grab and bite the dog until it's brain is damaged, or the head is removed from the body. There is no weakening from a loss of blood, and even spilling the guts won't slow it down.

And living animals have an instinctive fight or flight instinct. Since we haven't seen zombie animals, I don't believe a dog will turn from the bite. But if the dog takes enough abuse, it may retreat. Then you have a dog that may bleed out on its own and a damaged walker following it.

I would put one dog against one walker at 60/40 odds, in favor of the walker.

I would put one dog against one walker at 60/40 odds, in favor of the walker.

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That's a fair assessment of a dog v. walker. I think however it depends on the type of dog as well. Obviously a poodle would be at a distinct disadvantage versus an English Mastif which can grow to over 230 lbs

a dog is going to have to go for the head which I don't think is natural for them. Sure you could train them too but I don't think our band of hero's have the time or the resources for that right now. They would be good for protection from other humans though if you could get them to stay quiet and had the resources to feed them.